Flexible applicator

ABSTRACT

An applicator may include a stick that has a flexible section that is before an end region of the applicator and/or is formed by corrugations, and that may include a plurality of such sticks.

BACKGROUND

Applicators and/or swabs that have absorbent tips, for example ofcotton, are well known. They are often used for example to apply topicalmedicines or makeup; or as a cleaning tool, for example to clean aperson's ears.

Conventionally, the absorbent tips are at the ends of a single stick.One may grasp the stick and guide it for said application or cleaning.However, especially when used on contoured surfaces that includehard-to-reach places, it may be difficult to guide the swab to itsintended destination.

To facilitate guidance of an applicator, e.g., a swab, in and/or tohard-to-reach places, it is conventional to provide a swab that includesa flexible material at its end. However, manufacturing costs of suchswabs are high since at least two materials are required (aside from theabsorbent material placed on the swab end for the absorbent tip).Furthermore, since the flexible material is at an end of the swab, thedegree of the material's flexibility is limited since if a very flexiblematerial is used, the swab may be deformed when applied to a surface atthe user's intended destination, and the user may therefore be unable toapply a desired degree of pressure to the surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an applicator according to an example embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 a illustrates an applicator according to an example embodiment ofthe present invention that includes a corrugated section.

FIG. 2 b illustrates an applicator according to an example embodiment ofthe present invention that includes a corrugated section in front of anend region.

FIG. 3 illustrates an applicator according to an example embodiment ofthe present invention that includes a plurality of sticks.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An applicator, e.g., a swab, may include at least one flexible section.The flexible section may be arranged to allow a user to precisely guidethe applicator. In an embodiment of the present invention, the flexiblesection(s) may be arranged in front of an end of the applicator, e.g.,between a proximal end and a distal end of the applicator. In anembodiment of the present invention, the applicator may include flexiblesection(s) formed by corrugations. The corrugated section(s) may be atthe end(s) of the applicator or between the end(s) of the applicator.

FIG. 1 illustrates part of an example applicator according to an exampleembodiment of the present invention. The applicator may include a stick1, e.g., a tubularly shaped stick. Between a center 2 and an end section3 of the stick 1, the stick 1 may include a flexible section 4. Theflexible section 4 may be more flexible than the end section 3. Forexample, the flexible section 4 may be made of a material that is moreflexible than a material out of which the end section 3 is made. Forexample, the material out of which the end section 3 is made may bewood, plastic, polypropylene, or a hard paper, e.g., cardboard, and thematerial out of which the flexible section 4 is made may be rubber,nylon, or other conventional flexible material. The flexible section 4may also be more flexible than a section 5 of the stick 1 that mayextend, e.g., from the center 2 until the flexible section 4. Forexample, the flexible section 4 may be made of a material that is moreflexible than a material out of which the section 5 is made. Accordingto one embodiment of the present invention, the section 5 may be made ofa material that has the same degree of flexibility as the material outof which the end section 3 is made. For example the section 5 and theend section 3 may be made out of the same material. In an embodiment ofthe present invention, the applicator may include an absorbent tip 6.For example, an absorbent material may be placed on the stick 1 to formthe absorbent tip 6. In one example embodiment the absorbent materialmay extend over only all or a part of the end section 3, as illustratedin FIG. 1. Alternatively, it may also extend over other parts of thestick 1 (not shown). For example, it may extend over the end section 3and the flexible section 4. In one example embodiment of the presentinvention, the end section 3 itself and/or the flexible section 4themselves may be made out of an absorbent material to form theabsorbent tip 6. In one example embodiment, the stick 1 may include twoends, such that the features of the stick 1 from the center 2 to eachend section 3 are approximately identical.

According to one example embodiment of the present invention, theapplicator may include a plurality of flexible sections 4 arrangedintermittently between the center 2 and the end section 3. The pluralityof flexible sections 4 may be more flexible than the rest of thesections of the stick 1.

In one example embodiment, a first flexible section 4 of the pluralityof flexible sections 4 may be more flexible than the rest of theplurality of flexible sections 4. For example, in one embodiment, thefirst flexible section 4 may be longer than the other flexible sections4. In another embodiment, the flexible section 4 may be made of amaterial that has a higher degree of elasticity than a material ormaterials out of which the other flexible sections 4 are made. The firstflexible section 4 may be arranged, e.g., immediately in front of theend section 3.

In one example embodiment of the present invention, the degree offlexibility of each of or a number of the plurality of flexible sections4 may vary.

FIG. 2 a illustrates a part of an example applicator according to anexample embodiment of the present invention. A stick 1 may be made outof, e.g., paper, plastic, etc. The stick 1 may include a flexiblesection. The material out of which the flexible section is made may bethe same as or different than that of other sections of the stick 1 thatare not flexible. According to this embodiment, the flexible section maybe a corrugated section 7. The corrugated section 7 may be at the endsection 3, as illustrated in FIG. 2 a. Alternatively, it may be in thesame position as that of the flexible section 4 of FIG. 1, asillustrated in FIG. 2 b. In one example embodiment, the stick 1 mayinclude multiple corrugated sections 7 placed intermittently along thestick 1. For example, the stick 1 may include a combination of thefeatures shown in FIGS. 2 a and 2 b. Such an arrangement may allow forguiding the stick 1 through a canal with many curves. In one exampleembodiment of the present invention, the stick 1 may include a firstlong corrugated section 7 at a region of the end section 3, and mayinclude a plurality of second corrugated sections 7 that may be shorterthan the first corrugated section 7. The second corrugated sections 7may be arranged in front of the first corrugated section 7 when viewedin a direction from the center 2 to the end section 3. Accordingly, theuser may have increased control of the stick 1 since the flexiblesections arranged in front of the first corrugated section 7 are shortand/or are not as flexible as the first corrugated section 7.

In one example embodiment the present invention, the applicators ofFIGS. 2 a and 2 b may include an absorbent tip 6 as described withrespect to FIG. 1. In one example embodiment the stick 6 may include aplurality of absorbent sections in addition to the absorbent tip 6. Forexample, according to the embodiment which provides for a plurality offlexible sections, the stick 1 may include an absorbent material betweeneach of the flexible sections. Alternatively, the absorbent material maybe placed over the flexible sections. Alternatively, an absorbentmaterial may be placed over the entire stick 1. In one exampleembodiment, the stick 1 may include two ends, such that the features ofthe stick from the center 2 to each end section 3 are approximatelyidentical. Alternatively, the stick 1 may include from the center 2 toone end section 3 features corresponding to one of the sticks 1 shown inone of FIGS. 1, 2 a, and 2 b, and may include from the center 2 to theother end section 3 features corresponding to another of the FIGS. 1, 2a, and 2 b. According to one embodiment of the present invention, thestick 1 may include only one absorbent tip 6 at one end section 3 of thestick 1. Alternatively, the stick 1 may include an absorbent tip 6 ateach end section 3 of the stick 1.

According to an example embodiment of the present invention, theapplicator may include a plurality of sticks 1 interconnected at anadjoining section 8, e.g., at a center. In one example embodiment, theplurality of sticks may each be differently arranged, e.g., to provide auser with various options. For example, FIG. 3 illustrates an applicatorthat includes three sticks 1 corresponding to the sticks 1 shown inFIGS. 1, 2 a, and 2 b. In one example embodiment, each of, or a numberof the sticks 1 may include a flexible section immediately adjacent tothe adjoining section 8. The user may accordingly use a first one of theplurality of sticks 1 without the other of the plurality of sticks 1hindering the use of the first of the plurality of sticks 1. In analternative example embodiment, the adjacent section 8 may itself be aflexible section.

Those skilled in the art can appreciate from the foregoing descriptionthat the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms. Forexample, the multi-stick applicator of FIG. 3 may include sticks withfeatures other than those shown in FIGS. 1, 2 a, and 2 b. Therefore,while the embodiments of this invention have been described inconnection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of theembodiments of the invention should not be so limited since othermodifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon astudy of the drawings, specification, and following claims.

1. An applicator, comprising: a stick including a corrugated section. 2.The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the corrugated section isarranged in a region of an end of the stick.
 3. The applicator accordingto claim 1, wherein the corrugated section includes a plurality ofcorrugated sections arranged between a center and an end of the stick.4. The applicator according to claim 3, wherein a first of the pluralityof corrugated sections is longer than the remaining corrugated sectionsand is arranged in a region of the end.
 5. The applicator according toclaim 1, wherein the stick is a swab.
 6. The applicator according toclaim 1, further comprising: an absorbent material.
 7. The applicatoraccording to claim 6, wherein the absorbent material is arranged at aregion of an end of the stick.
 8. The applicator according to claim 7,wherein the absorbent material is arranged intermittently between acenter of the stick and the end.
 9. The applicator according to claim 8,wherein the corrugated section includes a plurality of corrugatedsections, and the absorbent material is arranged over at least some ofthe plurality of corrugated sections.
 10. The applicator according toclaim 1, wherein the stick includes a plurality of sticks and anadjoining section, the plurality of sticks joined at the adjoiningsection.
 11. The applicator according to claim 10, wherein features of afirst of the plurality stick are different than features of a second ofthe plurality of sticks.
 12. An applicator, comprising: a stickincluding: an end section; and a flexible section that is more flexiblethan the end section.
 13. The applicator according to claim 12, whereinthe stick includes a first material for the flexible section and asecond material for the end section, an elasticity of the first materialbeing more than an elasticity of the second material.
 14. The applicatoraccording to claim 13, wherein a section of the stick that is between acenter of the stick and the flexible section includes the secondmaterial.
 15. The applicator according to claim 13, wherein the firstmaterial is rubber and the second material is paper.
 16. The applicatoraccording to claim 12, wherein the flexible section is a corrugatedsection.
 17. An applicator, comprising: a plurality of adjoining sticks.18. The applicator according to claim 17, wherein at least one of thesticks includes a flexible section.
 19. The applicator according toclaim 18, wherein the flexible section is a corrugated section.
 20. Theapplicator according to claim 18, wherein a first of the plurality ofsticks includes features that are different than features of a second ofthe plurality of sticks.